Benny’s Bites the Dust

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - A one-time popular hangout for Rochester teenagers is no more.

The former Benny’s R-Tic Root Beer Stand at the corner of 1st Ave and 6th St SW was demolished Wednesday morning.

The tiny root beer stand was a popular hangout spot for generations of Rochester teens and others. It was operated by Benny and Eloise Dresbach from 1947 until 1978 and remained open under different ownership into the 1980s.

It was later acquired by the Rochester VFW. The service club sold the entire parcel of land to UMR for a future campus. The VFW building is also being demolished.